HILL STAFF VIEWS: More Than Three-Fourths of Staffers Say No Stock Trading for Members

(QUICK READ) — With Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) generating beaucoup headlines with her apparently sudden rags-to-riches story, renewed attention is being focused on all senators and representatives seemingly still being able to profit on stock trades.

Legislation to bar stock trading by Members is overwhelmingly popular with congressional aides working for both major parties, with 79 percent of those surveyed recently by CNCT Capitol Pulse expressed support.

Support was strongest among Democratic aides, with 100 percent of those in junior policy positions saying “Yes” to support for the legislation, and the same unanimity was found among Democratic staffers doing operational jobs. Support was also at 100 percent among Republican communications aides, but the number dropped to 79 percent among GOP men.

Overall, 88 percent of all the Democratic aides said yes, compared to 74 percent among the Republican ranks.

The strongest opposition to the stock trading ban came GOP junior policy aides at 29 percent and 27 percent among Senate Republican staffers. The highest percentage of “Nos” among Democrats was the 15 percent among the youngest ones.